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Thursday, December 30, 2010

For Paula's Challenge we had to chose our favorite wallhanging and/or quilt for the year. That wasn't really hard as my most challenging piece is my favorite. This bird wallhanging from SilverLinings began with my very limited paperpiecing skills and my skills grew with each block. I handquilted with smoky monofilament thread around the birds and machine quilted the outer block. I set it "windowpane" style to resemble a photo gallery. It is 44" wide x 42" high

And I managed to inventory all my flimsies for 3 different UFO Challenge Lists. This is the list is for Judy's - Patchwork Times.

1. Scrappy Noah's Ark. These blocks were assembled using the partial seam around the center blocks, which was a challenge as the center was small and the piecing around was so large. Instead of a panel center, I used scraps from a pre-printed vest and fused them. It needs the fusing to be stitched down and then quilted and bound.

2. Scribbles - this quilt was made by just dumping the old scrap bin and letting my grandson pick a scrap and they were added bit by bit until the floor was clean. It needs to be quilted and bound. I think a cuddly flannel needs to be used for the back. This will go into the tote for future charity quilts.

3. Scrap Crackers - This quilt was originally made for the blocks to be used as a signature quilt. Then the person changed their mind. A border will be added, quilted and bound. This quilt will be added to the charity quilts tote.

4. Scrappy Green Roman Stripe - Since this has a lot of geranium print fabric and leaf print fabrics, I will use this as a Christmas gift for my one sister who has a "green thumb". And her livingroom is whites, off-whites and greens, so I think she will give it a good home. It needs 2 borders (already cut and stored with it-potted geraniums) and then quilted and bound.

5. Patriotic Tabletopper - This was a free pattern on Connecting Threads. I don't have a lot of patriotic fabric and this was probably donated to me. So I will quilt and bind to save for the Hospital Auxillary Benefit sale.

6. Sulky International 2004 BOM - This is the second wallhanging I've done from this pattern. The first I did as a Christmas Village to keep as a new tradition to complete embellishments with my grandson. This is done as a "country" village. It needs some embellishing, a final border, quilted, and bound. It will be saved for the community Library fund raiser.

7. FQ Sampler - I believe this was a BOM on the Florida Quilter Quild website 3 yrs ago? This was my first fat quarter bundle given me and I used it on this quilt. It needs quilting (longarmer) and bound. It will be put in my Christmas box as a future gift for someone.

8. Pinwheel Tabletopper - this has to be a couple of years old - when my daughter and her friends came for a sew-a-thon and we played with my leftover HSTs. It needs to be quilted and bound. It will go in the charity tote for any future fund raiser.

9. Daisy Do - Designed by Jenny Elafantz as a mini BOM. It needs handquilting and I haven't found the right buttons and beads yet to complete the embellishing. This will go in the Christmas gift box.

10. Star Sampler - I wish I could remember which quilt guild site I got this from as a BOM. The blocks were designed so you had a semi-framing of each - how different for me - a learning technique for sashing. It needs a border, quilting, and binding. This will go in the Christmas gift box.

11. Cob Web Quilt - My first Bonnie Hunter quilt. Oh, it really needs a good pressing as it was on the very BOTTOM of the pile. I think it needs a skinny border as the edges are a little ruffled. Then quilted and bound. This will be added to the charity quilt tote.

12. Country Row Quilt - This is a Debbie Mumm pattern and I think maybe 3 yrs ago - yikes. But it introduced me to row quilts, which I love to do. It needs a thin black border to frame it, quilted (long arm), and bound. This will go into the Christmas gift box.

Completing this list will help in filling the charity tote (I love to support our community) and I will have a few Christmas gifts finished.Sewingly Yours,Sharon

Monday, December 27, 2010

I end the year with my most favorite seasonal hymn, Ave Marie - Hail Marie. I only have to hear the prelude and I start to cry.

I kept to my minimal, relaxing non-sewing and sewing for the month. I put all my machines up and that led to pulling out my Hexies. Not sure what I will do with the little rascels yet, but they are fun. And I have stayed on track with Bonnie Hunter's new mystery - Roll Roll Cotton Boll. I layed all the parts out on serving trays - don't they look like little cakes and candies? And I am participating in the Layer Cake quilt-a-long, but I am using leftover fabrics from 2 different FQ packs.

I need to inventory all my UFO's and get them ready for my different challenge lists. I am so ready to do finishes and 2011 looks to be an exciting year.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Silent Night was written in 1818, by an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. He was told the day before Christmas that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music, so he wanted to write a carol that could be sung by choir to guitar music. He sat down and wrote three stanzas. Later that night the people in the little Austrian Church sang "Stille Nacht" for the first time.

The carol

We have had a number of days with very little sun and minor snow has drifted down upon us. I haven't done a lot of sewing these few days. Monday and Tuesday were our sewing class day's x-mas parties.

Tuesday night was the Guild party - 158 pillowcases were turned in for the "Million Pillowcase Project". I thought that was outstanding for a 46 member guild. They will be going to a local Christian's Charity for distribution.

Wednesday I spent most of the day helping my Mom wrap gifts and just be with her as she was feeling a bit down as this is the first holiday without Dad. A dear friend of mine stopped by to pick up some items I had done for her for X-mas presents and we had a nice visit - tea, slices from a zucchini bread she brought, and holiday music while we caught up on some things.

I have to just put the binding on my new shop sign. The sun has poked it's head out and making the new fallen snow glisten.

I thought I would post some of my blue and white quilts - gosh I have a lot of blue.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

"Silver Bells" is a classic Chistmas song﻿, composed by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans - was first performed by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in the motion picture 'The Lemon Drop Kid' , filmed in 1951. The first recorded version was by Bing Crosby and Carol Richards. The song was inspired by the imagery of Salvation Army bellringers standing outside department stores during the Christmas season.

For my Charming Girls - I really am trying to stick with the "slow" process. I am following Bonnie Hunter Mysteries, the Layercake sampler, and Beth Ferrier's MidWinter. But they come out once a week or 2 weeks - so I pulled one of my scrap bins (I have 3 large totes), closed my eyes and pulled a scrap "noodle" out. GREEN, so I started making green strip blocks and any large pieces got cut into squares for future projects (1.5",2",2.5", and 3.5").

I had a quilt machine done for the "100 Quilts for Christmas", but it went off before I photo'ed it. SO I am posting a photo of another quilt that was given out for Hospice before I came across this group. I just loved the simplicity of this quilt and the backing was so soft - I tied with multi-colors.

I'm cross-stitching this little cat - think I need to add a mouse. My "Queen" does not mouse, she sits to be admired, awed, and fawned over. It will be a pocket on a new bag for me.

And these delightful trees were from Jane of Sew Create It who offered the free pattern and tutorial for a table runner when a guest blogger on Stash Manicure (see button on side). I was going to make a wallhanging, but they are going to be part of a new Shop sign - I vend at shows and tired of a boring paper sign. You will get an update. Thank you Jane for inspiration!

I know, you don't believe me when I say I am going "slow" - but if you only knew what goes thru my three machines normally! I've enjoyed watching the old movies - never really been the one to just sit and watch TV - it's always been a background noise or not on. And I have been listening to "The Sounds of the Season" - a cable channel with seasonal music. BUT I still don't bake.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Wassail" comes from the Old Norse "ves heill"--to be of good health. This evolved into the tradition of visiting neighbors on Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.

I chose this Carol and trivia in honor of the late Francis Trip - my school music teacher and when retired she formed a community choir which consisted of a majority of her former students. They perform different seasonal concerts, community functions, assist the High School Musical and wrap up the year with a "Wassail" sing-a-long with the community. It was announced the beginning of the concert that Francis was hospitalized that morning and one of the choir members would be conducting. At the end of the concert, they announced she had passed. I believe she held on to hear her "angels" sing one last time.

On a happy note, we got lucky and the severe snow storm missed us. My MOM was in a state as she had a huge party planned for her sewing classes and now it would have to be cancelled. It went as planned and one of the gals brought "jello shooters" to toast the meal. For those not familiar , they are jello made with Vodka and set in a little jello cup - and she brought Godiva Chocolate liqueur to top them off.

﻿I have my gifts wrapped and have a small list of missing items (or add ons) and list for stocking stuffers yet to get - traditional orange, new toothbrush and ribbon candy. I added those battery tea lights amongst my mantle pieces for a little glitter. I think I'll catch a seasonal movie while snuggling with the furry.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Germany made the first artificial Christmas trees. They were made of goose feathers and dyed green. I have my great-grandmother's feather tree she made as a young girl, but it is very fragile and I have a furry that is too curious.

I finally got to decorating for the season. I don't put up a tree any more, but my SIL brought me the "glitter" tree as she thought I needed one. The little figures are keepsakes my children have given me thru the years. And the wallhanging is an advent that I made my daughter 25 yrs. ago. I wanted to display my Charming Chatter's Secret Santa Swap that Shannon made me so hung it over the enclosed fireplace - love it.

﻿

I made up the two cross-stitch stockings for our sewing classes' holiday parties - one for our Monday group and one for our Tuesday group. We pulled names, so a Secret Sister Swap. Funny because I pulled my Aunt for the one group. It has been hard for me to get in the seasonal mood this year and I think it is because I had everything done so early this year. And with setting the goal of taking things slowly during November and December just is not how I work. And then my grandson threw the monkey wrench of deciding to come early - but he's a keeper.

I pulled another quilt from my "finished" bin - scrappy maverick stars from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville. Very easy pattern and works up so quickly. It has made it's way to the Veteran's Hospital and is part of the "100 Quilts for Christmas". Remember those in need at this time of year. Check with your churches - they usually have a list or I have even seen in the malls and outlets with "adopt a family" trees where you can pull a name and send gifts. Our area Walmart has a mitten and hat tree that you can clip items on when you go to shop.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Everyone is being clever with Seasonal titles or count downs. I thought I would title my posts with Christmas Songs and then add a little trivia. Did you know if you received all of the gifts in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," you would receive 364 gifts?

The first day of December blessed us with a rather nasty storm with an "unverified" hurricane that took out a window and the front door. Lots of mop up - the rain was going sideways at force gale. Luckily my son has no fear and raced to the house to check on us and did a quick patch up and then returned the next day to do full repairs. All safe and well - just breathe.

I am doing both of Bonnie's mysteries and loving them. Hoping they will clear a lot of scraps out. This is a pile of block bits of the Christmas Lights (not Christmas).

And did up the "big brother/little brother" snuggies for my grandsons.

And since the final block of the Row BOM is up, I decided to finish to a flimsy and get ready for longarmer. I've changed a few rows and doing the borders different. The back will be pieced.

And I have another quilt under the machine quilting up for the "100 Quilts for Christmas" - that I will show on Monday. When I say under the machine - I quilt on my domestic machine. Maybe next year will see the long arm - birthday wishes.

I've done very few stitches on the cross-stitch and my handquilting hasn't been touched since last post - oh my. But I am suppose to be enjoying this SLOW process - gentle reminder. The final month of the year - enjoy each day and take time to reflect with each stitch you slowly, lovingly sew.

Monday, November 29, 2010

A new banner is up - a quilt done almost 3 years ago when I started quilting and took almost a year to assemble. Then it sat for another year not knowing what to do with the "quilt as desire" and then turned it over to a long armer to work the magic. I call it "petits morceaux de bleus" - little bits of blue.

I've been called an "over achiever" and my goal for the month was to slow down and do things for fun. I did just that, but there still was a lot of creating going on. But I honestly enjoyed a slower process. I sent my Secret Santa gift(s) and they should arrive at their destination today. The main gift was this wallhanging made with Dawn Adelaide's Frosty Flakes pattern. A few extra goodies were added to the box. I hope my swap mate enjoys her Holidays.

And I finished quilting up the scrappy spider web for Aunt Spicy's blog - 100 Quilts for Charity. I will take the quilt to my next guild meeting to be donated to the church for distribution of community families in need list for the Holiday Season. I love this pattern and can see making more of these.

I mailed out 12 house blocks for the Love, Laugh, Quilt - Build a Community block swap. When I signed up for this, I suddenly remembered my UFO/Orphan box and pulled all the house blocks. I love making house blocks, and there was enough there (of many sizes and styles) to make at least 3 quilts! I can see my work is cut out for me in 2011.

I finished the 2nd step of Bonnie Hunters mystery. My little basket looks like a pile of confections. Then someone reminded me she was re-releasing Christmas Lights, so I just had to jump on this one too. Between these two quilts, I should really manicure my stash.

I know a lot of people have added "Black Friday" shopping as a tradition, but I stay away from malls after Nov 1st. But I did go to a special "fat quarters for food" sale at the Quilt Bug - my local quilt shop. I like to use this to fill up on my lights and any missing colors - or what catches my fancy. It helps the local food pantry - and of course we have to buy while we are there, so it helps to keep our favorite fabric shop open. And I fabric framed a new cross-stitch mandella - Lighting the Tree. It reminds me of all the tree lighting ceremonies right after Thanksgiving.

I have had my fill of "Scrooge" movies - I think every version was on this past weekend. But my favorite is the 1951 Black & White "A Christmas Carol" with Alastair Sim. December I hope to enjoy my new grandson - yet to hold/see him. And continue with Bonnie's wonderful projects. I'd like ,also, to finish up two more charity quilts to donate to the church - there are so many in need.

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